The river is believed to originate at the feet of the monolithic Nandi statue at the Big Bull Temple in Basavanagudi, hence giving it the name Vrishabhavathi.

[3] The origin of the river is near the Dodda Ganesha and the Dodda Basava Temple or the Kadu Malleshwara Temple in Malleswaram, and it flows through major areas like Basavanagudi, Girinagar, Hosakerehalli, Nayandahalli, Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Kengeri.

The river has a basin area of 383 km2 (148 sq mi) and passes through 96 out of the 198 wards in Bangalore.

The Gali Hanumantha Temple is over 600 years old, constructed in 1425 by Sri Vyasaraya of Channapattana who was a Rajaguru of Vijayanagara Empire.

[1][7] It is said to be dark, smelly and frothy due to "untreated or badly treated domestic sewage that goes into the river.